Overseas

The executive committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta recently approved a “fair share” request from the Jewish Federations of North America to support the ongoing crisis in the Ukraine. Inflation has skyrocketed in the embattled region; where the average Ukrainian household spent 55% of its income on food in 2013, this figure has now risen to 98%. While not specifically directed toward the Jewish Community, the situation has greatly impacted our partners at JDC and JAFI in meeting the needs of the Jewish community. 

• JFNA response: Despite the signing of the cease fire agreement on February 15, 2015 daily violations have been reported and numerous deaths recorded, although a general decrease in fighting has taken place.  Senior Western diplomats and analysts are predicting a further escalation of tensions.  Ukraine faces increased energy prices, a crackdown on corruption to justify billions of dollars in loans and aid, and Western demands for economic reform.
• JDC response: The JDC continues to operate Hesed centers in Donetsk and Lugansk and delivering vital assistance to our clients in the conflict zone. This includes food, medications, winter relief and minor repairs of the damages cause by shelling.  JDC field staff reports that queues to receive pensions became longer, payments are delayed more often. At the same time the local authorities demand people to pay for utilities. Most of the pensioners do pay for fear of losing their apartments for debts.

JDC’s Donetsk and Lugansk Hesed centers provide assistance via bank cards and/or vouchers, which can be used with certain suppliers of food and medications who are still able to deliver the goods into the separatist-controlled territory, either from Ukraine or from Russia. Those Jews in-need who remain within the conflict zone are eligible for $25 per month for medications, plus there is an S.O.S. program, through which anyone eligible can receive additional medications and operations, or other emergencies.

The centers provide services to 6,018 clients—many are young families with children. Notwithstanding the conflict in the area, Pesach celebrations were held at all 32 Hesed centers and JCCs operating in Ukraine. Over 8,000 people attended celebrations at these organizations; and 47,627 boxes of matzah were distributed to clients.

Israel

Ethiopian immigrants demonstrate a strong desire to integrate into Israeli society while also emphasizing the importance of preserving their heritage. Their desire for integration is expressed by the large percentages who speak Hebrew in different social contexts, who served in the military or in the national service, who vote in elections and who report that at least half of their friends are from outside the Ethiopian-Israeli community.

However, the challenges faced by Ethiopian immigrants to integrate successfully and by Israeli society to assist them in this process have been unique. About a third report experiences of personal discrimination at work and in the military, and even more believe discrimination against Ethiopians as a group exists in different institutions such as the police, the education ministry and the military. Despite the difficulties and gaps, Ethiopians living in Israel for 20 years or more express a high level of satisfaction with their integration in Israel and almost all feel at home.

Snippet from a recent Atlanta Jewish Times article, titled “Understanding Protests of Ethiopian Israelis:”

“Discrimination toward Jews of Ethiopian origin conjures up charges of racism by Israel’s enemies and worries about the state’s democratic character among its friends, especially American Jewish communities distressed by the treatment of Arab citizens and by the outsized influence of ultra-Orthodox groups.”

“But Israel has done more to assist this immigrant population than any other country has done for its immigrants. It provides residence and instruction in an absorption center to acclimate new immigrants for a year or more. It subsidizes the purchase of an Ethiopian family’s first apartment up to 80 percent. It provides free university tuition.

The support, however, is not sufficient to remedy the discrimination Ethiopians face in employment, housing and education. And no amount of money changes people’s attitudes.”

Although the protests in April have demonstrated that there is much more work to do, Federations’ efforts have yielded important results. For more than three decades, Federations have committed substantial resources to addressing the needs of the Ethiopian-Israeli community. The continued challenges to the Ethiopian Israeli community underscore that our work isn’t done. We will continue to work with the Mayor in Yokneam-Meggido regarding these issues.